STAFFORD SPRINGS, Conn. — Stafford Speedway kicked off its race season with the NAPA Auto Parts Duels as part of the 52nd Annual NAPA Spring Sizzler Weekend.
Feature races were held for Stafford’s weekly late model, limited late model and street stock divisions along with two 40-lap NAPA Duel races that set the top-20 lineup for Sunday’s 100-lap main event.
Scoring wins in the two NAPA Duel races were Teddy Hodgdon and Ronnie Silk. Weekly feature wins were scored by Darrell Keane in the late model feature, Matt Clement in the limited late model feature and Travis Hydar in the street stock feature.
Duel 1 Results
In the first 40-lap NAPA Duel Race, Matt Swanson took the early lead at the drop of the green flag with Hodgdon quickly moving into second. Michael Christopher, Jr. was third in line with Stephen Kopcik fourth and David Arute fifth.
Ronnie Williams took fifth from Arute on lap four and that allowed Doug Coby to follow him through and take over sixth and drop Arute back to seventh. Hodgdon hounded Swanson until lap 15 when he was able to take over the lead with a pass going into turn three.
Williams was now in third behind Hodgdon and Swanson with Christopher fourth and Coby in fifth. Jon McKennedy was sixth followed by Eric Goodale, Justin Bonsignore, Woody Pitkat and Arute.
At the halfway point, Hodgdon was still in command with Swanson, Williams, Christopher and Coby giving chase. McKennedy took fifth from Williams on lap 27 as Hodgdon continued to lead the race with Swanson, Christopher and Coby behind him.
Hodgdon led the field to the checkered flag to win the first NAPA Duel and earn pole position for tomorrow’s NAPA Spring Sizzler 100-lap main event. Swanson finished second with McKennedy, Christopher, and Coby rounding out the top five.
Results
1) Teddy Hodgdon, Danbury
2) Matt Swanson, Harvard, MA
3) Jon McKennedy, Chelmsford, MA
4) Michael Christopher, Jr., Wolcott
5) Doug Coby, Marion
6) Ronnie Williams, Lebanon
7) Justin Bonsignore, Holtsville, NY
8) Woody Pitkat, Bellingham, MA
9) Eric Goodale, Riverhead, NY
10) Chris Pasteryak, Lisbon
11) David Arute, Stafford Springs
12) Joey Mucciacciaro, Jr., Wolcott
13) Tommy Barrett, Jr., Millis, MA
14) George Bessette, Jr., Danbury
15) Danny Knoll, Jr., Amherst, NY
16) Stephen Kopcik, Newtown
Duel 2
In the second 40-lap NAPA Duel Race, Silk took the lead at the green flag with Marcello Rufrano moving into second. Andy Jankowiak took third with Cory DiMatteo fourth and Max Zachem in fifth. With 15 laps complete, it was still Silk in the lead with Rufrano, Jankowiak, Zachem and Anthony Bello making up the top five.
Keith Rocco was sixth followed by Matt Hirschman, Cory DiMatteo, Todd Owen and Noah Korner.
With 10 laps to go, it was still Silk in the lead with Rufrano, Zachem, Jankowiak, Hirschman, Bello, Rocco, Austin Beers, Owen and Korner making up the top 10 cars. Beers made a move around Bello on lap 37 to move into fifth and drop Bello back to sixth as Silk was comfortably leading Rufrano, Zachem and Hirschman.
Silk cruised to the checkered flag to win the second NAPA Duel and earn a front row starting position for tomorrow’s NAPA Spring Sizzler 100-lap main event. Rufrano finished second with Zachem, Hirschman, and Beers rounding out the top five.
Results
1) Ronnie Silk, Norwalk
2) Marcello Rufrano, North Haven
3) Max Zachem, Preston
4) Matt Hirschman, Northampton, PA
5) Austin Beers, Northampton, PA
6) Anthony Bello, Newtown
7) Keith Rocco, Berlin
8) Noah Korner, Canton
9) Todd Owen, Somers
10) Andy Jankowiak, Buffalo, NY
11) Cory DiMatteo, Farmington
12) Kyle Ellwood, Riverhead, NY
13) Matt Galko, Catawba, NC
14) Nick Halkowicz, Shelton
15) Jacob Perry, Kannapolis, NC